NPR

Essential Pittsburgh

    • Pittsburgh Women of the Great Migration

      The Great Migration is known as the period between 1910 and 1970 when many African Americans migrated from the south to the north. Essential Public Radio Behavioral Health Reporter Erika Beras has been collecting compelling stories of black women who migrated from the south to Pittsburgh. She shares her collection on Friday with a multimedia documentary at the August Wilson Center for African-American Culture. Erika Beras joins us in Studio A to talk about the project.

    • George Lakey

      Earth Quaker Action Team

      Starting in Philadelphia, members of the  Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) are concluding their walk across the state here in Pittsburgh. Their walk is in protest of PNC Bank’s financial funding of coal companies engaging in mountain top removal coal mining. Plans call for a demonstration Wednesday morning at PNC headquarters downtown. EQAT campaign director, Zachary Hershman and George Lakey, a peace activist, writer and professor at Swarthmore College talk about making the 200 mile walk from Philadelphia.
    • Butler Mayor Maggie Stock

      Butler, PA and Speaking Volumes

      Butler, PA is one of the 20 Best Small Towns in America, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Butler Mayor Maggie Stock talks about the features of Butler that make it a good place for a weekend getaway. And Essential Public Radio Morning Edition host Josh Raulerson joins us for his Wednesday literary feature,Speaking Volumes.
    • Perry Como 1956

      Hot Diggity Dog Days

      Friday would have been the 100th birthday of singer Perry Como, affectionately known as Mr. C and the man who invented casual. The singer’s hometown of Canonsburg, PA will honor its favorite son this weekend with Hot Diggity Dog Days. We’ll find out what’s in store for the three-day festival with Terry Hazlett, borough manager and member of the planning committee.

    • A mother breastfeeding

      Attachment Parenting

      The May 21st edition of Time Magazine is heating up debate about extended breastfeeding and attachment parenting. Greenfield mother of two and attachment parenting proponent Miranda Hallquist talks about the benefits of breastfeeding beyond age two. How do you feel about extended breastfeeding?
    • South Side, seen from Mt. Washington, July 31, 2010

      South Side Neighborhood Improvement District

      Plans for a Neighborhood Improvement District on the South Side have been a long time coming for some residents and business owners, and now they look to be stalled. Proponents like Kim Collins, Vice President of the South Side Chamber of Commerce, are in favor of a plan that offers services such as sidewalk cleaning, street improvements and security beyond what the city already provides. But Pittsburgh Councilman Bruce Kraus says he cannot support a plan that would apply a higher tax assessment on residential property owners. Can a new plan be drawn up that works in everyone’s favor?

    • Red line

      Public Transit

      In response to problems with T-light rail service during the weekend of the marathon, the Port Authority of Allegheny County announced an increase in train service for weekend baseball games and other events. Port Authority spokesman Jim Ritchie talks about whether these efforts have been effective and the proposed service cuts in September. Let him and us know how bus and T service impacts your life.
    • Alan Olifson

      Alan Olifson

      Alan Olifson is known to some Pittsburghers as the local host of The Moth StorySLAM, a monthly story-telling event at the Rex Theater on the South Side. At the Moth, audience members are encouraged to get on stage and share a true story without notes. Now Alan is sharing his story in a one-man show at the Bricolage called Manchild: My Life without Adult Supervision.

    • A gay wedding in 2008

      Same-Sex Marriage Revisited

      In light of President Obama’s recent statement of support for same-sex marriage, we’ll revisit our discussion with Brian Moulton, the Legal Director of the Human Rights Campaign and talk with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Tony Norman about how same-sex marriage may impact the 2012 election.

    • Del’s Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo

      The Food Network reality show Restaurant: Impossible, came to Pittsburgh last winter to spend two days and $10,000 trying to fix Del’s Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo in Bloomfield. The episode aired in February and a lot has changed for owner Marianne Delpizzo. She talks about how the experience and the publicity have affected her and her family’s business.